Stephen Covey (1932 – 2012)
American author of the bestselling book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, as well as other books.
Our life is result of our choices.
Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Prepare your mind and heart before you prepare your speech. What we say may be less important than how we say it.
It's not enough to have values without vision; you want to be good, but you want to be good for something. On the other hand, vision without values can create a Hitler. An empowering mission statement deals with both character and competence; what you want to be and what you want to do in your life.
Until you live, learn how to live.
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Instead of looking at fragments, try to see the whole picture.
Self growth is tender; it's holy ground. There's no higher investment.
Let natural consequences teach responsible behavior. One of the kindest things we can do is to let the natural or logical consequences of people's actions teach them responsible behavior. They may not like it or us, but popularity is a fickle standard by which to measure character development. Insisting on justice demands more true love, not less. We care enough for their growth and security to suffer their displeasure.
There are three constants in life…change, choice and principles.
Trust is the glue that holds everything together. It creates the environment in which all of the other elements — win-win stewardship agreements, self-directing individuals and teams, aligned structures and systems, and accountability — can flourish.
Unless we exercise our power to choose wisely, our actions will be determined by conditions. Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.
Integrity in the Moment of Choice
Quality of life depends on what happens in the space between stimulus and response.
Spiritual Intelligence represents our drive for meaning and connection with the infinite.
Courage is not the absence of fear but the awareness that something else is more important.
We present a dramatically different approach to time management. This is a principle-centered approach. It transcends the traditional prescriptions of faster, harder, smarter, and more. Rather than offering you another clock, this approach provides you with a compass — because more important than how fast you're going, is where you're headed.
Live out of your imagination, not your history.
In the last analysis, what we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do.